Men’s Basketball: Top ISU target Vaughn continues to answer questions on the court, face them off it

EAGAN, Minn. — The questions and challenges continue to mount for Rashad Vaughn.

He may offer few answers to his future, but leaves little to doubt about his present spent as one of the nation’s premier prep basketball players.

The consensus top-15 player in the Class of 2014 and a coveted recruiting target of Iowa State, Vaughn has excelled this spring after a change of AAU teams and a move to Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League, considered by most to be the top grassroots circuit.

“It’s the best high school basketball around,” said Vaughn during the league’s stop in the suburbs of Minneapolis this weekend. “You can’t take any games off. You’ve got to bring it every game, every day, mentally and physically.”

The Golden Valley, Minn., native has gone outside the state’s borders to join the Wisconsin Playground Elite program for this spring and summer season in the EYBL.

“It’s a huge step up from high school,” said Pete Kaffey, Vaughn’s mentor and former assistant high school coach. “We play some games, but it’s nothing like this at the EYBL. Everybody’s probably going Division I.

“It’s a big step up.”

Beyond Vaughn’s success on the court, much about his future remains unclear.

He is considering taking another step up this fall with a move away from home and Robbinsdale Cooper High School being considered as he contemplates a transfer to a prep school.

“It’s a possibility,” Vaughn said.

Averaging 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 assists per game in the EYBL coming into the weekend has solidified Vaughn’s status as a five-star recruit and has given him a taste of what playing top-flight competition every time on the floor is like, which would likely be the case if he transfers to a prep school that plays a national schedule.

“I just want to get better everywhere, get better mentally and physically,” Vaughn said. “Playing (competition) like this every night (helps) to prepare for the next level.”

Vaughn is desired by the likes of North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky and just about every other blue-blood program in the nation.

Yet, he is also very seriously considering the Cyclones, a program that has appeared in back-to-back NCAA tournaments but rarely is seen as a true threat to earn a commitment from such a highly-touted player such as Vaughn.

Vaughn visited Ames twice in the last school year, including a stop in Hilton Coliseum for the Cyclones’ win against Baylor during which fans chanted his name and displayed signs imploring him to eventually pledge to ISU.

The Cyclones cannot comment on prospective recruits, per NCAA rules.

Vaughn’s ability to shoot from distance, score in a variety of ways and run the floor make him an ideal fit in ISU’s system, though those attributes would make him an incredible asset in just about any program.

As such, head coach Fred Hoiberg and assistant Matt Abdelmassih have been fixtures at Vaughn’s prep and AAU games.

“Everything is wide open,” Kaffey said, “but the reason Iowa State is so attractive to him is because of the relationship that’s been built since the ninth grade with those guys. Coach Hoiberg, Matt and those guys are good people. We like them. I think that’s the reason why.

“They always come to his games, and they’re always there, and he like that. He likes the relationship.”

Vaughn cited his relationship with the coaching staff and Hoiberg’s wide-open, up-tempo style of play as well.

“I’ve got a got a good relationship with coach Hoiberg and coach Matt,” he said. “I like how they play.”

Still, ISU will have to compete with the like of UNC, which despite already securing two five-star wings in its 2014 class, continues to pursue Vaughn.

“They’re still recruiting me hard,” he said.

While Vaughn will have to reach a decision relatively soon about his high school future, he seems in little hurry to make his college choice.

“I’m still wide open,” Vaughn said, repeating the phrase for who knows what hundredth time in the past few months.

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